How to hire a rheumatologist

How to hire a rheumatologist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step rheumatologist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a rheumatologist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new rheumatologist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a rheumatologist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A rheumatologist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, rheumatologists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents rheumatologist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Rheumatologist	Description	Hourly rate
   Rheumatologist	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests... Show more	$53-382
   Pulmonary Physician	A pulmonary physician specializes in diagnosing and treating respiratory and cardiopulmonary health issues. They provide consultations when it comes to health concerns, conduct various assessments and examinations to identify the patients' conditions, study medical histories, develop care and treatment plans, prescribe medication, and educate patients throughout the procedures... Show more	$51-215
   Resident Physician	A Resident Physician participates in a program of graduate medical education and training in a specialized area of medicine. They work with other members of the healthcare team to provide direct medical care to patients.	$37-165

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Internal Medicine
   • Medical Care
   • Medical Research
   • IV
   • Vital Signs
   • Front Desk
   • Clinical Expertise

   Responsibilities:

   • Evaluate patients, performing comprehensive examinations to determine presence of disease and to establish preventative health practices.
   • Assist physician with peritoneal catheter insertion.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your rheumatologist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A rheumatologist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, rheumatologists' average salary in hawaii is 55% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level rheumatologists 86% less than senior-level rheumatologists.
   • Certifications. A rheumatologist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a rheumatologist's salary.

   Average rheumatologist salary

   $299,669yearly

   $144.07 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level rheumatologist salary

   $112,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 31, 2025

   Average rheumatologist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	North Dakota	$476,411	$229
   2	Alaska	$446,482	$215
   3	Wisconsin	$405,911	$195
   4	Minnesota	$398,350	$192
   5	South Dakota	$393,098	$189
   6	Washington	$369,757	$178
   7	Indiana	$367,616	$177
   8	Maine	$365,406	$176
   9	Kansas	$350,485	$169
   10	Nebraska	$350,087	$168
   11	Iowa	$348,683	$168
   12	Michigan	$341,487	$164
   13	New York	$341,346	$164
   14	Pennsylvania	$322,676	$155
   15	Illinois	$321,482	$155
   16	Massachusetts	$320,730	$154
   17	Connecticut	$320,401	$154
   18	Ohio	$312,644	$150
   19	Missouri	$309,768	$149
   20	Tennessee	$278,927	$134

   Average rheumatologist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Trinity Health	$503,027	$241.84	20
   2	Allina Health	$485,091	$233.22	22
   3	Mercy Health	$478,297	$229.95
   4	Sanford Health	$478,101	$229.86	6
   5	Nor-Lea Hospital District	$476,375	$229.03
   6	Advocate Health Care	$447,371	$215.08
   7	Yuma Regional Medical Center	$434,378	$208.84
   8	Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare	$430,237	$206.84
   9	Pikeville Medical Center	$427,273	$205.42
   10	Great River Health	$422,994	$203.36
   11	OSF HealthCare	$420,801	$202.31	41
   12	Missouri Delta Medical Center	$418,271	$201.09
   13	St. Mary's Regional Medical Center	$417,653	$200.79
   14	Rochester Regional Health	$416,541	$200.26
   15	Jackson Hospital	$400,843	$192.71
   16	White River Health System	$400,662	$192.63
   17	Yakima Valley Memorial	$399,790	$192.21
   18	Danbury Hospital	$397,921	$191.31	56
   19	Harrison Steve MD	$396,980	$190.86
   20	Ozarks Healthcare	$391,877	$188.40

4. Writing a rheumatologist job description

   A rheumatologist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a rheumatologist job description:

   Rheumatologist job description example

   Why Mayo Clinic
   Join the authority in medicine and partner with the nation's best hospital (U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023), ranked #1 in more specialties than any other care provider. At Mayo Clinic, we believe there is a better path to healing that humanizes the practice of health care and inspires hope in the people who need it most. You will be part of an amazing diverse team committed to solving the most serious and complex medical challenges - one patient at a time.
   
   Mayo Clinic offers a variety of employee benefits. For additional information please visit Mayo Clinic Benefits. Eligibility may vary.
   
   Position description
   Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, Wisconsin is recruiting a Rheumatologist to join the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine. In addition to clinical responsibilities, there are opportunities to pursue interests in education, research and administration.
   
   The Division seeks candidates who can add complementary interest and expertise in areas such as inflammatory arthritis, autoimmune connective tissue diseases and general rheumatology. The ability to perform ultrasound assisted procedures independently would be an asset. The successful candidate will work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues and patients while maintaining high a quality of patient care and high patient satisfaction. A successful M.D. or D.O. applicant will fulfill the following requirements:
   
   - Certification by the ABIM in Rheumatology (or board eligible).
   - Completion of an accredited Rheumatology fellowship.
   - Record of interest and excellence in the clinical care of patients.
   - Sincere interest and experience in resident and medical student education.
   
   Logistically, this position will practice primarily from our outpatient setting which is located in the Onalaska, Wisconsin clinic. This is approximately 10 minutes from our La Crosse hospital and clinic.
   
   License or certification
   Eligible candidates must be board certified/eligible in Rheumatology
   
   Benefits eligible
   Yes
   
   Schedule
   Full Time
   
   International Assignment
   No
   
   Site description
   La Crosse, WI, is a city of 52,000 with a metro area of 120,000 in the Upper Mississippi River Valley, located between Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, and Madison, WI. The area offers unlimited, four-season recreational opportunities (biking, golf, hiking the bluffs and cross-country/downhill skiing). We have a great family environment with safe and high-quality schools, including two universities and a technical college. There are sport events, a local symphony orchestra, theaters, children's museum and a civic center.
   
   Recruiter
   Ashley Andres
   
   EOE
   As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer Mayo Clinic is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values the diversity of its employees and does not discriminate against any employee or candidate. Women, minorities, veterans, people from the LGBTQ communities and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply to join our teams. Reasonable accommodations to access job openings or to apply for a job are available.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find rheumatologists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your rheumatologist job on Zippia to find and attract quality rheumatologist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit rheumatologists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new rheumatologist

   Once you've decided on a perfect rheumatologist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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